"Split" adverbs - when adjective and adverb have different meanings


In surprisingly many cases, the alleged adverbs of certain adjectives seem to have developed a life on their own. It starts with slight shifts in the meaning and can go as far as having little to do with the original adjective. In some cases, the ostensible adverb is in fact - or has become? - an adjective itself.


close [split] - The flat form and the normal form have related but different meanings: "Keep close", but "Keep closely arrayed in formation."
taken from "Flat adverbs are flat-out useful"

More examples
1) Cambridge Dictionary
English and German are closely related.
We are working closely with the police.
Pollution levels are closely monitored.
He looked again more closely at the marks.
2) Google
"closely spaced homes"
"pens of closely confined fish"
"a closely fought contest"
"the students had to answer questions closely related to what they just learned"
3) Others
"Come close" / "Come a little closer"
"She looked at me closely"
In neither of those examples the flat and regular forms would be interchangeable!

fine [split] - When using fine to appraise the (good) quality of something, it is a flat adverb: "I’m doing fine" (as in "I am alright"). When using it to describe the thin layers or stripes e.g. after cutting something, it is a regular adverb: The onion needs to be finely chopped/ finely sliced. Finally, in compositions such as finely judged, finely calculated, finely tuned it is also used as a regular adverb.
mentioned on the LEO forum

great [split] - The flat form and the normal form have different meanings: "You did great." (great as in "of high quality") --- "It greatly differs from what I expected." (greatly as in "largely, massively")

hard [split] - The flat form and the normal form have different meanings: “It hit me hard” --- “I hardly hit it” (hardly as in “barely”). The flat version also exists in compositions such as hard-boiled, hard-fought, hard-earned or hard-charging.
taken from "Flat adverbs are flat-out useful"; also mentioned in Wikipedia: Flat adverb and "When adverbs fall flat"

high [split] - the plane flies high (high altitude) --- it is highly appreciated (very much) --- highly decorated (to a great extend/ degree)
mentioned in LEO forum and "When adverbs fall flat"

kind [split?] - Kind and kindly have slightly different roles: "Be kind", but "Think kindly of her."
taken from "Flat adverbs are flat-out useful". According to the LEO forum, "kindly" can also serve as an adjective.

late [split] - He came home late (as in late, e.g. late at night) --- Lately, I heard of strange things happening in the LEO forum (as in recently).
mentioned in "When adverbs fall flat"

near [split] - The two different forms have related but different meanings: The end is coming near (as in "coming close") --- We are nearly there. (as in "as good as" there)
mentioned in Merriam Webster "When adverbs fall flat" and Wikipedia: Flat adverb

poor [split] - "To be poor" (lacking money/property) has a different meaning than e.g. "to perform poorly" (giving a performance of low quality).
[doom] - It is not clear whether "poor" in its original meaning can also be used as an adverb. We found one possible example, "to live poor" as in voluntarily living a simple life as if one were poor.

right [split] - Right and rightly (and even right and right) have different senses: "Go right" -- "Do right", -- "Stay right there", or "He aimed right for the target", but "You are rightly upset."
In "Do right", "right" is a direct-object noun rather than a flat adverb. taken from "Flat adverbs are flat-out useful"; also mentioned in "When adverbs fall flat"

Examples:
You didn't treat me right (Goldie Hill: Twice as blue)
"It serves you right"
I just want to do it right.
He is right next to me.

smart [split] - "smart" has a variety of meanings: intelligent, stylish, or quick. The examples found for "smartly" on the internet often feature somebody dressed smartly or the meaning "quick": "We'll have to work at a smart pace if we're going to finish on time." (also from Cambridge Dictionary). I have not found an example with "smartly" meanining "cleverly". The one example I know is "Work smarter, not harder" or "Work smart, not hard", in which it is used as a flat adverb.

Examples:
Here is a whole article about "Working smarter, not harder"

very [split] - The adjective very means something like "particular". The adverb very, on the other hand, means approximately "extremely".
from: Huddlestone's and Pullum's Student's Introduction to English Grammar

well [split] - The adjective well means "in good health", while the adverb means "in a good way" or "to a good standard." from: Huddlestone's and Pullum's Student's Introduction to English Grammar

wrong [split] - He didn't do wrong. --- He has wrongly been accused.
mentioned in "When adverbs fall flat"



No more flying high - but still highly appreciated by the kids...